4 Walmarts in Massachusetts have now closed because of coronavirus cases among employees

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4 Walmarts in Massachusetts have now closed because of coronavirus cases among employees

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Updated: 11:18 AM CDT May 6, 2020

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MATT: THE WALMART DISCLOSE THIS MORNING. CITY LEADERS SAY GETTING TO THIS POINT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED SOONER. THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONER SAID SHE CONVINCED WALMART TO CLOSE THE STORE MONDAY AFTER 11 WORKERS GOT SICK. ONE OF THEM DESCRIBED AS AN ELDERLY WOMAN DIED. THEY WERE NOT GETTING INFORMATION IN A TIMELY FASHION. IT WASN’T UNTIL THEY ESCALATED THEIR COMPLAINTS THAT THEY WERE HEARD. >> WE DIDN’T WANT TO GET TO THAT POINT. I THOUGHT IT WAS TIME WE STOP THIS. I HAVE STRONG CONVERSATION WITH THEM. I THINK IT PAID OFF. >> IF SHE DID NOT BEEN ON THIS CASE, WITH THE CLOSE DOWN? I’M NOT SO SURE THEY WOULD HAVE. MATT: WALMART TOLD US THER ARE NO WORDS TO EXPRESS THE LOSS OF OUR ASSOCIATE. THE QUINCY STORM WIL NOT REOPEN UNTIL IT IS CLEANED AND INSPECTE

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4 Walmarts in Massachusetts have now closed because of coronavirus cases among employees

Two Massachusetts Walmart stores were closed Wednesday so the employees can be tested for the coronavirus.Walmart stores in Avon and Abington were closed pending the tests and will remain closed until enough employees with negative results can return to work, town health officials said.The Abington Board of Health said the closure was in response to the death of an employee of the Walmart in Quincy. The employee, identified by friends as Yok Yen Lee, 69, died Sunday.City officials said 11 employees at Quincy’s Walmart location have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, including Lee. The store is expected to reopen Friday.During the closures, the stores will be cleaning and sanitized, officials said. "We’ve been monitoring our stores, executing cleaning practices and bringing in third-party experts to sanitize stores while also working with local officials on additional proactive actions. Those efforts have also included voluntarily closing stores temporarily -- an especially tough decision when customers are relying on us more than ever for the essential items they need," said Eddie Bostic, Walmart regional general manager.The Abington store was closed once before during the coronavirus pandemic. "While we followed our process at our Abington store, we have made the decision to close the store again to work with the health department to test our associates and others who work in the building. In Avon, we’ve seen the impact in the local community, which has also been felt in our store. The nature of this virus makes it nearly impossible to track the source of anyone’s infection, so we are planning to work with health officials to review our measures, and determine additional steps, such as COVID-19 testing for associates and others who work at the store," Bostic said.Health officials in Abington said they hope the store can be reopened by Sunday. A timeline for the reopening of the Avon store was not announced. Last week the Walmart in Worcester was closed after more than 80 employees and vendors tested positive.

AVON, Mass. —

Two Massachusetts Walmart stores were closed Wednesday so the employees can be tested for the coronavirus.

Walmart stores in Avon and Abington were closed pending the tests and will remain closed until enough employees with negative results can return to work, town health officials said.

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The Abington Board of Health said the closure was in response to the death of an employee of the Walmart in Quincy. The employee, identified by friends as Yok Yen Lee, 69, died Sunday.

City officials said 11 employees at Quincy’s Walmart location have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, including Lee. The store is expected to reopen Friday.

During the closures, the stores will be cleaning and sanitized, officials said.

"We’ve been monitoring our stores, executing cleaning practices and bringing in third-party experts to sanitize stores while also working with local officials on additional proactive actions. Those efforts have also included voluntarily closing stores temporarily -- an especially tough decision when customers are relying on us more than ever for the essential items they need," said Eddie Bostic, Walmart regional general manager.

The Abington store was closed once before during the coronavirus pandemic.

"While we followed our process at our Abington store, we have made the decision to close the store again to work with the health department to test our associates and others who work in the building. In Avon, we’ve seen the impact in the local community, which has also been felt in our store. The nature of this virus makes it nearly impossible to track the source of anyone’s infection, so we are planning to work with health officials to review our measures, and determine additional steps, such as COVID-19 testing for associates and others who work at the store," Bostic said.

Health officials in Abington said they hope the store can be reopened by Sunday. A timeline for the reopening of the Avon store was not announced.